A Maltese’s coat is one of the most distinctive in the dog world — long, straight, pure white, and silky rather than fluffy. It’s also one of the more demanding coats to maintain well. Unlike breeds with a shedding undercoat that self-manages to some degree, a Maltese’s coat keeps growing and tangling without help. This guide covers how to groom a Maltese properly, the tear-stain issue nearly every owner deals with, and what to realistically expect in terms of time and cost if you’d rather leave it to a professional groomer.
What Makes Maltese Grooming Different
Maltese dogs have a single-layer coat — hair, not fur, similar in structure to human hair. There’s no undercoat trapping loose hair, which means Maltese dogs shed very little. But that same coat structure means every tangle stays put until it’s brushed out, and left alone, it mats close to the skin within days, particularly behind the ears, under the legs, and around the collar.
The other defining feature of Maltese grooming is the coat’s stark white color, which makes staining — from tears, saliva, or food — far more visible than on almost any other breed. This is why tear stains come up in nearly every conversation about Maltese grooming.
How to Groom a Maltese: Step-by-Step
- Brush daily, or every other day at minimum. This isn’t optional for a Maltese the way it might be for a shorter-coated breed — the fine, straight hair tangles quickly, especially with normal daily movement.
- Use a pin brush first, then a metal comb. The pin brush handles the bulk of detangling; the comb catches what’s left close to the skin, particularly around the ears and legs.
- Mist with a leave-in conditioner or detangling spray before brushing. Dry brushing on a Maltese’s fine coat causes breakage — always brush slightly damp hair, not bone-dry.
- Bathe every 2–3 weeks with a whitening or brightening shampoo formulated for white coats — regular shampoo can leave a dull or slightly yellow cast over time.
- Blow-dry while brushing, on a cool or low setting. This is what keeps the coat straight instead of curling or frizzing as it air-dries.
- Clean the face and eye area daily to manage tear staining (more below) — this is a Maltese-specific step most other breeds don’t need.
- Trim paw pads and the sanitary area every 3–4 weeks, even between full grooming appointments.
Managing Tear Stains
Tear staining — the reddish-brown discoloration under the eyes — is one of the most-asked-about issues in Maltese grooming, and it’s worth handling accurately rather than guessing at causes.
What typically contributes to it:
- Normal tear overflow pooling in facial hair (more visible simply because the coat is white)
- Bacteria/yeast growth in consistently damp fur
- Hair around the eyes irritating the tear ducts
- In some cases, underlying issues like blocked tear ducts, allergies, or dental problems — worth a vet visit if staining is sudden or severe
What actually helps:
- Wiping the area daily with a clean, damp cloth or a vet-approved tear-stain wipe
- Keeping the hair around the eyes trimmed short
- Switching to a filtered water source, since mineral content in tap water is sometimes a contributing factor
- Drying the face fully after washing, since residual moisture encourages staining
Be cautious of products promising instant tear-stain removal with harsh whiteners or bleaching agents — these can irritate the sensitive skin around a dog’s eyes. When in doubt, ask a vet or professional groomer before applying anything new to that area.
Popular Maltese Grooming Styles
| Style | Description | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy cut | Short, even length (around 1 inch) all over | Low — most common for pet owners |
| Teddy bear cut | Slightly fuller, rounded face and ears | Low–Medium |
| Full/show coat | Long, floor-length coat, often with a topknot | Very High — daily brushing essential |
| Summer cut | Very short, minimal-maintenance trim | Very Low |
| Lamb cut | Short body with slightly longer legs and head | Medium |
For most pet owners, the puppy cut or teddy bear cut strikes the right balance — short enough to reduce daily brushing significantly, without losing the breed’s characteristic look.
How Often Should a Maltese Be Groomed?
Professional grooming appointments are generally recommended every 3–4 weeks — shorter than most breeds, largely because of how quickly tangles set in and how important consistent tear-stain and facial hygiene maintenance is for this breed specifically. Between appointments, daily brushing is genuinely necessary for longer coats; shorter puppy-cut styles can often stretch to every other day.
Finding a Professional Maltese Groomer
A few things matter more for this breed than for most when choosing a groomer:
- Comfort with fine, single-layer coats — a groomer used to thicker, coarser coats may use tools or pressure that cause breakage on Maltese hair.
- Careful, gentle face and eye-area handling, given how much of Maltese grooming involves working close to the eyes.
- Willingness to talk through coat-length options before cutting — the difference between a puppy cut and maintaining show length is significant, and it’s worth agreeing on this beforehand.
- Experience with white coats specifically, since brightening treatments and stain prevention are different from standard coat care.
If you’re in the Brooklyn area, our groomers regularly work with fine, white-coated breeds like Maltese — see our dog grooming services and breed-specific rates here. If you’re weighing coat types, our Yorkie grooming guide covers another silky, single-layer coat that mats just as fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a Maltese be groomed? Every 3–4 weeks for a full professional groom, with daily or every-other-day brushing at home in between, depending on coat length.
Why does my Maltese have tear stains, and can they be fully removed? Tear staining is usually from a combination of normal tear overflow and bacterial growth in damp facial fur, made more visible by the white coat. Daily cleaning and trimming around the eyes reduces it significantly, though it often can’t be eliminated completely without addressing an underlying cause — a vet can help identify if something beyond normal tearing is contributing.
What’s the best haircut for a low-maintenance Maltese? The puppy cut — a short, even trim of about an inch — is the most common choice for pet owners because it dramatically reduces daily brushing while keeping the coat manageable.
Do Maltese dogs shed? Very little, since they have a single-layer coat without a shedding undercoat. This is exactly why regular brushing matters — loose hair stays trapped in the coat rather than falling out on its own.
Can I groom a Maltese myself instead of going to a professional? Basic daily brushing and face cleaning, yes. Full coat trims, especially maintaining a show-length coat or handling significant matting, are harder to do well without professional tools and experience — a poorly done trim can take months to grow out evenly.
Maltese grooming takes real, consistent effort — there’s no getting around that with this coat type. But the payoff is a breed that, when properly maintained, rarely mats badly and stays comfortable and healthy year-round. Whether you handle the daily brushing yourself or bring your Maltese in for regular professional visits, consistency is what actually makes the difference.
